This has been a great week, and way, way busy!
The hot dogs we had last week were pretty good! They were probably pork; they just aren’t like American hot dogs. They put mayonnaise on them here, which is really weird. We took them back to the church and the four of us watched a movie. OH, I don’t think I told you guys! We can watch movies in our mission. Any animated Disney/Pixar movie is approved, along with twenty or so others; including The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of The Rings, Eragon, and National Treasure etc. It’s pretty awesome! We watched Monsters Inc. last week.
Food has been interesting! Rice is eaten with every meal here. The food isn’t bad at all. It takes getting used to, thats for sure, and it wouldn’t be my first choice, but it’s good. My favorite thing right now is chaa mnoah sac koo, a rice dish (obviously) with a mix of pineapple and beef and veggies that you put over rice. It’s really good.
I have a great food story for you! We went to Tolaa’s house (man we are teaching) one night to spend some time with them and work with his wife some. She can’t read so she can’t read the Book of Mormon meaning she learns slower and is taking longer to develop faith. So anyway, they’re really poor and we always bring them little snacks that we eat together while we teach but I think Tolaa was disappointed that they never had anything to give us. So, earlier that day he had his Uncle kill a dog, and what did we find when we went over that night? A big steaming platter of dog meat! He was so happy that he had something to share with us, so we chowed down. Honestly it wasn’t bad! I wouldn’t eat it by choice, but I ate it! Now I can tell people I’ve eaten dog. Most people here will never eat dog, or if they have they will mostly deny it.
Right now we are not teaching any full families. I think about something Brother Masters told us in the MTC and it helps me to understand why most people aren’t interested in Christianity at all. He said the people have come to accept the harsh mercies of an unreal god. And then on the other hand, when they do decide to learn, this is what he said about them. For a people who have come to accept the harsh mercies of an unreal god, learning of a Father in Heaven who loves us, and can truly bless us, it is earth shattering! That’s what I want to bring to people. I want to help them overcome the complacency they have with their uncaring god. If I can help one person here understand this gospel and understand the love of The Father for them, I will have had success. It’s a hard work, but it can be so rewarding!
When we teach we switch off, but its still mostly Elder
We are actually having a baptism next week; I’m pretty excited about that.
Investigators here take a very long time to progress, that’s just how it is. We’re teaching most people over like 3 months before they get baptized. That’s just the way it is when you teach people who have no knowledge of the gospel or of Christianity.
Ok, so a rundown of a day in the life of the Takhmau east missionaries.
We wake up at 5:30 and have exercise time until 6 (which we don’t always use.). It’s hard to work out knowing you’re going to be on a bike all day lol. We have until 7:00 to be showered and dressed and have eaten breakfast. 7-8 is personal study, 8-9 companion study and 9-10 language study. At 10 we leave the house and start the work. We normally have 4-5 appointments scheduled for the day, the rest of the time is tracting and occasionally we have meetings. We have lunch anywhere between 11 and 3, depending on when we have time. We’re supposed to be in by 8:30 every night and we barely make it most nights. It’s very, very busy.
The city is pretty cool. We work in the city itself, ad the countryside and small villages all around as well. People here do all kinds of things, anything from pick fruit to sell shampoo. It’s a rough life and I don’t really know how people get by..
We have zone conference tomorrow! I’m so excited. We’ll be in Phnom Penh all day for it and Elder Perkins of the Asia Area Presidency is coming. It should be so cool! I’m saying the opening prayer though and it has to be in English... I have only prayed in English 2 or 3 times in the past 2 months! I’m a little nervous. Elder Moore said last time he prayed at one of those things in English he kept accidentally saying Khmer words! It should be an amazing, spiritual day though. I’m really excited.
In closing, I wanted to share this with you
The Standard of Truth
The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.
Doctrine And Covenants 4
Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work; for behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; and faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.
Ok, well thats it for this week! I love and miss you all! Elder Donnelson
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